Green halo when taking photos

[HomerSp]

Hi, just wanted to ask here in case anyone has run into similar issues using the cameras. Basically, when I take photos close to (but not directly at) bright lights like my PC monitor or a window a green half circle/halo appears at the bottom in both the viewfinder and photos. It's like the light is reflected somewhere inside the sensor, and that's picked up in the image. It happens when using both the standard sensor and the ultrawide, but it's less pronounced using the latter. The circle intensity changes as I angle it, which seems to confirm that it's light being reflected. It disappears if I use something to cover the top half of the sensor as can be seen in one of the videos below.
It seems to have something to do with the focus, because if I either change the focus manually, or move something in front of it to change it automatically, the circle moves.
Here are a few pictures/videos to showcase the issue:
photos.app.goo.gl/PEY5GV9byL6D8FPo8 (just beneath my PC monitor)
photos.app.goo.gl/QdLLfPhWvVXTz4SC7 (different angle beneath my PC monitor)
photos.app.goo.gl/3AKvgSRahBK64qa56 (beneath a window, less pronounced)
photos.app.goo.gl/KHqC9m6ggfopnCpF7 (video beneath PC monitor)
photos.app.goo.gl/VvZMoaGQ7amh2LpH7 (video also beneath PC monitor that show how focus makes it move around)

Anyone else run into this issue? I've never experienced this with any other phone I've owned - including the Zenfone 8, so it seems like it has something to do with the particular sensors of this phone.

[FunBike31]

@ HomerSp
Would your ZF9 be white in color?

[HomerSp]

@FunBike31 Thanks, I do have the white one, yes - I thought that might be the issue myself so I tried covering both the chrome frame and the phone itself with black tape, but unfortunately that hasn't really helped.
As a test I used my old Pixel 6 as a flashlight and slowly moved the zf9 over it, using both the main sensor and ultrawide, and the difference is staggering - they both do show the usual lens flare effects, and they both have the green halo, but on the ultrawide it's barely noticable, while on the main it's very bright, and shimmering from green to yellow to blue. To clarify I'm not talking about the lens flare that moves around (these are to be expected), but the green halo/lens flare that appears when shooting either above or below the light source, and that remains static unless the focus changes.
Here's a video of the main sensor:
photos.app.goo.gl/dhfVX3ffe7VasB6r8
and here's the ultrawide:
photos.app.goo.gl/NGmGdRKhaP8NF5Ph8
I actually used a magnifying glass and a flashlight to look inside the main sensor, and it seems that there's a gold ring inside it that, if angled properly, is very reflective. If that is the cause it feels like a very poorly designed sensor.

[FunBike31]

It's important Flare lens, not sure it can be corrected enough
Try in manual mode to force the maximum aperture (1.9) by adjusting the ISO if the camera does not have an aperture function.
For my part, if I had to take my Canon 90D less often, the only Smartphones that I find acceptable would be the Vivo X60 pro and X80 pro, but I can't imagine taking photos without an SD card, so there aren't any none.

[Danishblunt]

FunBike31

It's important Flare lens, not sure it can be corrected enough

Try in manual mode to force the maximum aperture (1.9) by adjusting the ISO if the camera does not have an aperture function.

For my part, if I had to take my Canon 90D less often, the only Smartphones that I find acceptable would be the Vivo X60 pro and X80 pro, but I can't imagine taking photos without an SD card, so there aren't any none.

View post

Pixel 4A takes better pictures than both the x60 and x80. The dual exposure feature is literally game changing.

[FunBike31]

the advanced menu offers 19 functions on X80 pro, 2 double exposures, (overlay and double exposure), I doubt that the testers have made the rounds of the options because the photos published already good are well below what can be obtained .
My colleague has an X60 Pro and double exposure is also on the menu, there is also a braketing mode.
I don't doubt the image quality of the Pixels, Google is top on this point but the Pixel 4a is too disparate in quality, starting with the audio.